the affair
by starburst1
Summary: h/d/r hermione is going out w/ ron but finds herself w/ another. what will she do?
1. a plan hatches

The Affair  
  
Suzie Felton  
  
PG-13  
  
1  
  
2 A Plan Hatches  
  
Hermione and Ron had been dating for what seemed like nearly a year. By the end of their 5th year, they had realized that they were meant for each other. They were almost never apart; their every waking moment was spent together, walking together in the halls, kissing in empty classrooms, or whispering and giggling into each other's ears. Little did they know that one of their classmates was plotting to end this innocent schoolyard relation.  
  
For two years now, Draco Malfoy had been longing for Hermione's tender touch without telling anyone – not even Crabbe or Goyle. He had come very close to telling Hermione of these feelings twice, but on the first occasion he had lost his nerve, and on the second, Ron had interjected by asking Hermione to be his girlfriend. He now felt that the only way to pull Hermione away from Ron and into his own grasp was to convince her that he was the better catch.  
  
But neither Ron nor Hermione were aware of this. They flitted around like fairies in a field on a summer's day. Every now and then one of them would spot Malfoy giving them a sinister stare, but to them this was nothing out of the ordinary, he being their sworn enemy since they entered the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
The next day in Potions, Malfoy was exceptionally irritating. Snape of course paid it no heed. Malfoy had been careful to set up his cauldron on the table next to Ron's. While Snape's back was turned, and Ron was staring dreamily at Hermione, Malfoy slipped an odd looking root into Ron's cauldron and plucked a hair from Ron's head. Ron winced, turned around sharply and glared at Malfoy, who was looking as menacing and evil as ever.  
  
"What was that for?" Ron whispered.  
  
"Oh, I was just thinking that I haven't been nearly mean enough to you today, so I decided to inflict some physical pain." Malfoy smirked and Ron turned away, irritated. Snape glanced in Malfoy's direction, shot an evil grin at him and returned to lecturing about keeping an eye on who gets near your potion. In the previous year, Snape had been brewing a potion, turned his back and one of the Weasly twins had slipped a powder into the cauldron, turning the potion into a laughing tonic instead of the intended hair re- growing brew. He had been exceptionally mad and took 50 points from Gryffindor for each of the twins. Ever since, he had kept a close eye on all of his concoctions.  
  
The remainder of the class ran smoothly until the students were to test their brain power potions and Ron's had turned him into a rat instead. The whole class had gone mad except of course Malfoy who had planned for all this in the beginning. When everyone had left in hysteria, including Hermione who was very reluctant to leave her Ronnykins left as a rat, Malfoy sidled over to Snape who was not so hurriedly looking for the antidote for poor Ron's condition.  
  
"Professor, would you mind if I borrowed a few ingredients from your cabinet?" Malfoy batted his eyelashes a few times to make himself look more angelic than ever.  
  
Snape, who had taken a liking to Malfoy and his posse from their first Potions lesson quickly agreed. "But I wonder, why do you need anything not included in your ingredients set?" Snape asked slyly.  
  
"Oh, just making a brew to confuse the Gryffindor trio a bit more than usual." Malfoy smirked. Ron, Hermione and Harry had been given that nickname during their 5th year at Hogwarts.  
  
Snape grinned broadly; he loved making those three troublemakers suffer. "Wonderful." He clapped Malfoy on the back and led him over to the cabinet in which he kept his personal stash of elements, leaving Ron to run frantically around the table.  
  
Malfoy took what he needed and purposely neglected to inform Professor Snape that he wouldn't find the antidote to Ron's case in any of the books he had in his office. He grinned inwardly as he made his way back to the Slytherin common room. 


	2. the potion

1 The Potion  
  
The potion which Malfoy was planning to brew was the very one with which he would win Hermione over. It was the Polyjuice Potion. Malfoy planned to turn himself into Ron and meet up with Hermione, and her thinking he was Ron, he would take her. It was a brilliant plan really, all he had to do was plan the timing correctly. His plan was to find Hermione just as his time as Ron was just running out. He would kiss her passionately, more than Ron ever would and when he released her, she would see that it was Draco Malfoy that she was kissing so intimately, not ikkle Ronnykins. He knew that she would realize that it was he that she wanted not poor Ronald Weasly.  
  
Malfoy was nearly done brewing the Polyjuice Potion, and dinner was just about to begin. Malfoy knew that he would have just enough time to conduct his plan perfectly. The trick was to take the potion in a place where Ron would normally be found, but not anywhere that Snape would go – he still trying to find the antidote for Ron. The library! Malfoy thought. Hermione would want to go there after dinner but not before – at least he hoped not. But after dinner she would most definitely be there, and she would find "Ron" and… Malfoy could hardly contain his excitement.  
  
Malfoy hurried to the library with the vile containing the potion concealed in his pocket. He found a dark corner to transform in, and took a deep breath. Malfoy took out the vile and looked at it suspiciously. He hoped he had brewed it correctly. He shrugged this feeling of doubt off and drank the contents of the vile.  
  
Malfoy felt the change immediately, although it wasn't as bad as he expected. He and Ron were actually quite close in size and shape, so the change wasn't too drastic. Malfoy could feel his features changing, and he realized that he would have to live with being a Weasly for an entire hour. He could feel his hair changing from the slicked back look to a messy head of hair that resembled a bird's nest. And then it was over. Malfoy had become Ronald Weasly for an hour. And it seemed like the longest hour of his life.  
  
Malfoy lurked around the library for nearly 3/4 of an hour, looking at books that seemed interesting, but after reading a few pages in, turned out to be very dull. But then he heard the door to the library open and Hermione's melodic voice travel over to the shelf he was standing at.  
  
"I hope Ron is going to be alright. He's still in the dungeons with Snape." Hermione was talking to herself, sounding very distressed.  
  
Malfoy snickered behind his hands and sneaked up behind Hermione and wrapped his arms around her waist. She gave a startled squeak and turned around.  
  
"Ron! What are you doing here? I thought you were still in the dungeons with Snape!" Hermione said with a happy shock.  
  
"Professor Snape just changed me back. I assumed you'd be in here so I ran up as fast as I could." Malfoy said trying to sound as much like Weasly as he could. Hermione evidently bought it and wrapped her arms around "Ron's" neck and began to kiss him lightly.  
  
Perfect. Thought Malfoy as he kissed her back passionately. This is perfect timing; my hour is just about up. WOW, she's a good kisser. Thought Malfoy with a sudden surge of guilt. It was a new emotion for him so he shrugged it off. Just as Hermione was becoming suspicious – Ron never kissed her like that – Malfoy began the transformation into his original form. But Hermione was enjoying herself so thoroughly, that she didn't even notice the change.  
  
This is it, thought Malfoy, my time of unveiling has come. He let himself enjoy the kiss for a few more seconds, then reluctantly pulled away. Hermione didn't want the kiss to end but looked into Malfoy's smoky gray eyes, expecting to see Ron's light blue ones.  
  
"Malfoy! What the hell do you think you're doing?!?" Hermione yelled distressed as she backed out of Malfoy's warm arms.  
  
"Oh, Hermione. Are we still on last name terms? I would much prefer if you would call me Draco," he said with his charming smile broad across his face. "And besides, didn't you enjoy it? I'm sure Weasly never kisses you like that." His grin grew even wider, if that was possible.  
  
"Well, yes, no, Draco! If anyone finds out, I'd be hated forever!" Hermione said pleadingly while looking longingly into Draco's eyes.  
  
"I know, I know, I would be hated just as much, but isn't it worth it?" Draco said while he drew Hermione ever closer in his tight embrace. Hermione tried to resist but couldn't withstand the temptation of letting herself be engulfed in Draco's soft lips once again.  
  
It's working, Draco thought maliciously as he covered his beloved Hermione in passionate kisses. She will be mine soon enough. His grip on her small hips grew even tighter as he slowly slid his tongue across Hermione's soft lips. He could feel her body tense, but relax once more as she realized the ecstasy she was feeling. But she couldn't forget Ron all together.  
  
Hermione once again reluctantly broke away from Draco's tight embrace and passionate kiss. "Draco, no! This isn't right. What if Ron finds out? He'd kill both of us!" Hermione said, glancing around nervously.  
  
"Don't worry, he won't find out, at least tonight anyway. It was me who slipped the extra ingredient into his cauldron in Potions to turn him into a rat. Even Snape will have trouble finding the antidote. I found the formula in the restricted section in the way back of the library. We have as much time as we want." Draco said soothingly while looking lovingly into Hermione's eyes. Hermione smiled guiltily and once again let herself be engulfed in Draco's warm arms and his passionate kisses. 


	3. hermione's dilemma

1.1 Hermione's Dilemma  
  
The next day, everything seemed normal – except for the fact that Hermione was torn between two boys that she loved in very different ways. Ron was her sweetheart, he was always there for her and he truly cared for her. But Draco on the other hand, he was filled with a passionate love for her that was like a fire that could not be extinguished. She wanted both an innocent relationship that seemed as though it would last forever and a fiery passion that was like a roller coaster ride. It was tearing her apart.  
  
Whenever Hermione saw Ron in the hall, she avoided his gaze, thinking that he would somehow realize that she had changed somehow. She was the same with Draco – she believed that if she made eye contact with him, that she would melt at the sight of his tender lips. Only Harry was aware of this difference in her behavior. Ron was too consumed with his devotion to Hermione to take notice of her avoiding him. Draco didn't care, he was convinced that she would soon turn Ron away and run to his welcoming arms.  
  
"Herm, what's up with you? You seem different." Harry inquired after dinner in the common room.  
  
"What? Oh, nothing. Just thinking." Hermione reacted startledly. But Harry knew better and continued his questioning.  
  
"Are you sure? Usually you're with Ron at this time of night." Harry asked softly. Hermione nodded and Harry started to turn away. Then Hermione burst into tears.  
  
"Oh Harry!" she said sobbingly, "I don't know what to do! Last night, in the library…" Hermione trailed off and continued quietly, "If I tell you, it can't be here. Let's go for a walk." Hermione got up from her seat in front of the fire and grabbed Harry's arm, dragging him to the portrait hole. Harry followed obediently, as a trained dog on a leash. The left the common room's warmth and stepped into the chilly hallway. It was a while before either Hermione or Harry spoke again.  
  
"Harry, I've done something terrible. Last night in the library…" it seemed as if she couldn't bring herself to say it. "Well, let me go back to Potions. You know how Ron's potion turned him into a rat?" Harry nodded silently. He figured that it would be better if he let Hermione get it all out before he said anything else. "It was Draco that added the extra ingredient to Ron's cauldron." Harry thought it odd that Hermione was calling their enemy by his first name instead of the usual last, but let it go, and let Hermione continue. "Anyway, the reason he did it, was so that he could be sure of not running into Ron later that evening. The reason for that is – and I'm not quite sure of this but I think it was – he brewed the Polyjuice Potion and turned himself into Ron."  
  
"But why would he…" Harry caught himself mid sentence and let Hermione continue.  
  
"I'm not sure how he did it, but he planned it so that at the end of his hour as Ron he would run into me at the library. I thought that Snape had turned Ron back from the rat and he had just missed dinner. I kissed him of course, I was happy to see him, but something seemed different. The kiss seemed more burning than Ron's usually are, but I didn't complain, I was quite enjoying it. So I let it continue for longer than usual, and when I pulled away, it was Draco Malfoy that I was kissing, not Ron at all." Harry winced as Hermione took a deep breath before continuing. "Naturally, I was surprised and I resisted letting him take me again, but it was so nice having a passionate kiss as opposed to the light pecks I get from Ron." Harry cringed at this description of both Malfoy and Ron. Hearing about others in that way was kind of weird. Hermione continued, "So I let him hold me and continue that heavenly thing he was doing with his tongue, but then thought of Ron, and left him alone in the library."  
  
Harry began to imagine what Draco could have been doing that was so wonderful, and started to imagine himself in Hermione's place when Hermione abruptly stopped. They both looked up, and realized that they had arrived at the library. Harry could see Malfoy sitting at a table, waiting patiently. Hermione grabbed his arm and hurried away before Draco could see them. "Harry, what should I do?" Hermione pleaded.  
  
"I really don't know Herm. I think you're on your own." Harry said sadly.  
  
"You can't tell Ron about this, OK???" Hermione asked firmly. Harry nodded and turned around to head back to the Gryffindor tower. As they passed the library once again, Hermione stopped.  
  
"I have to talk to him." She said resolutely. She turned and entered the library. Harry could see Malfoy get up and try to embrace Hermione. Harry continued on his trek to the tower as she backed away. 


	4. in the library

1.1 In The Library  
  
"Oh Hermione, I'm so glad you came. I didn't know if you would think to return." Draco tried to pull Hermione into his arms but to his surprise, she pulled away.  
  
"Draco, you know this isn't right." Hermione stated firmly. "This won't work out. I'm with Ron and there's nothing you can do to change that." Draco's face clouded. He was determined none the less. He tried once again to bring Hermione close to him and this time she was caught off guard. Draco pulled her close to him and kissed her hard, putting all his pent up emotion into it. This time Draco let his tongue fully escape into her mouth, and as he began to outline the ridge of her teeth, Hermione felt as though her feet had been lifted off the ground and was floating in a cloudless sky. She had never experienced anything like this. As she let her own tongue flow into Draco's mouth and trail along his lower lip, he felt something comparable to her reaction. He felt completely at rest, with no hate or feelings of revenge towards anyone – not even the Gryffindor trio.  
  
Hermione broke away from Draco's soft lips and felt a swell of guilt as she said, "Not here, let's go over here where no one will find us." A grin broke across her face as she pulled Draco into a dark corner. Draco had not expected Hermione to be so disloyal to Ron.  
  
They couldn't keep their hands off each other. Their lips were only separate when either of them ran out of breath or Draco got bored kissing Hermione's luscious lips and moved down to her neck or her arms. He even ventured to nibble on her ear at some points. Hermione would not have been able to express this emotion of bliss even if she tried.  
  
This went on for15 full minutes, and would have continued, but the librarian had strolled into their corner and said, "If you two want to get closer, than do it in one of the empty classrooms. This is a place of studying books, not each other's anatomy." Apparently she had made this speech many times and didn't care to notice who was doing the making out. Hermione took this as a warning sign and said a brief goodbye to Draco (which included a quick kiss that Draco tried to elongate, but Hermione knew she had to go.) Draco said to meet him in the library again tomorrow night but Hermione made no indication to agree or disagree. It's working, thought Draco silently. Hermione stormed out of the library when she saw the evil grin spreading on Draco's face, and she didn't stop until she got to Gryffindor tower.  
  
"Well," asked Harry. "Did you tell, him that it was over?" Harry paused at the word him, not knowing what to call Draco, them being surrounded by other Gryffindors.  
  
"Not exactly… We kind of got more involved than I had planned." Hermione said sheepishly.  
  
"So, what are you going to do?" Harry questioned exasperatedly.  
  
"I really don't know. I think I need to sleep on it." With that, Hermione went to her dormitory and closed her eyes, hoping for a restful sleep. But that's not what she got. She had a horrible dream.  
  
Hermione was walking down a cold corridor, similar to the one on the third floor when it was closed off in her first year. She saw both Draco and Ron standing at opposite sides of the hallway, each beckoning her into a room. She went up to each and before entering either, and looked at its contents.  
  
In the room Ron was standing near, Hermione saw a wedding procession, with her walking down the isle, and Ron waiting for her at the altar. She watched as the scene changed to something that looked oddly like the Burrow. Hermione saw herself standing over the stove with a baby in her arms. She looked around and saw that the kitchen was full of children, of all different ages. She then looked at the entrance to the kitchen and saw Ron walk in carrying a broomstick and holding a bandage to his head. She could tell that he had become a Quiddtich player and not a very good one at that. Then she saw the scene change again. Hermione was looking into a bedroom where she saw herself and Ron snuggling in their small bed. She could tell that although she and Ron seemed to be quite good friends, there was no passion in their relationship. Hermione turned away and looked into the room Draco was near.  
  
Here she saw an older version of herself and Draco standing in a corner of the stands in a Quiddtich field making out quite passionately. Draco's hand was up Hermione's shirt, grasping tightly at, Hermione didn't want to think of what. Her own hands however were grasping tightly at his firm ass. Their legs were entwined with in each other and their hips were grinding erotically. Hermione started to turn away – this site was far too sexual for her to bear – when the scene changed again. Hermione saw yet another wedding scene, but this one seemed to be going by in a hurry. When the ceremony had finished Hermione and Draco ran off to a furnished hotel suite and Hermione shielded her eyes but fortunately there was a time lapse between the entrance to the room and what she saw next. She then saw herself and Draco lying in a bed looking very sweaty. Hermione couldn't bring herself to conceive what sexual act the two had just committed.  
  
Hermione turned away from both men and their doors in a rush. Neither of these lives were the one she wanted. After she had run for what seemed like 30 minutes, she fell down an endless pit of despair, and awoke with a jolt.  
  
Hermione opened her eyes to find herself in her four poster bed in the girls' dormitory of the Gryffindor tower. Nothing had changed; she was still Hermione Granger, 6th year student at Hogwarts - with a huge weight on her heart. 


	5. harry intervenes

Harry Intervenes  
  
Hermione was still walking through the halls as if she was neither dating Ron nor having a silent affair with Draco. She averted her eyes every time that one of them tried to get near her, and walked away swiftly. But she couldn't avoid them forever. Finally after two days of not talking to his sweetheart, Ron decided he needed to find out what was wrong with Hermione. Ron snuck up behind her in the hall and pulled her into an empty classroom. Hermione, thinking it was Draco – for this was not something Ron would ordinarily do – tried to get away before he could kiss her. But she turned around to tell Draco off but found herself to be looking into Ron's sweet, ignorant, eyes.  
  
"Hermione, what's up with you? You've been avoiding me forever." Ron said concernedly as he sidled up next to her.  
  
Hermione said the first thing that popped into her mind. "PMS. Sorry Ron, I've been having terrible mood swings and I didn't want to upset you." It was actually pretty convincing.  
  
But it was a little bit more information than Ron had bargained for. "Oh, is that all?" Ron said hurriedly while backing away. "That explains a lot. Well, if that's it, then I'll see you in class!" As Ron began to turn to leave, Hermione gave a silent sigh. That was close. She thought. She left the room and hurried off to her Arithmancy class.  
  
"Hermione, have you talked to either Ron or, you know, yet?" Harry asked after dinner that night.  
  
"No, not really," Hermione confessed. "But Ron tried to confront me today and I told a total lie. It felt horrible. You know, we should really give, him, a code name. How about… Fire?" Hermione said quickly. She thought "fire" would be fitting, as Draco had ignited a fire in her heart that Ron came no where near to lighting.  
  
"Ok, that sounds good. So are you going to talk to Fire tonight?" Harry inquired.  
  
Hermione quickly changed the subject. She did have plans to go see Draco tonight, but not to talk. The temptation was too great to withstand. "Could you keep Ron's mind off of me? I need more time to decide what I'm going to do."  
  
Harry didn't notice her avoiding his question, and said, "Of course. If you need any help, you know where I live!" Harry laughed at his own cleverness, but Hermione didn't quite catch it. She gave Harry a quick goodbye, and exited the tower in a hurry. 


	6. the prefects bathroom

heh heh, I've got a thing w/ the prefects' bathroom.  
  
The Prefects' Bathroom  
  
When Hermione arrived at the library, Draco was waiting for her. Draco tried to speak, but Hermione cut him off.  
  
"Now, remember what Madame Pince said. We have to go somewhere else." Hermione said before Draco could get a hold on her hips.  
  
Draco was rather stunned. She came to be with him, and not talk to him? It really is working! He told himself. "Ok, we can go to the prefects bathroom. I know the password." Draco said proudly. He had become a prefect that year. Hermione grasped his hand tightly and they strode out of the library quickly and quietly. They both wanted to get closer as soon as possible. Before they knew it, they were at the secret entrance to the prefect's bathroom. Draco whispered "quiddtich" to the door and it slid open.  
  
As soon as they were inside, Draco grabbed Hermione's hips and pulled her close to him. The moment their lips touched, Hermione forgot everything that was wrong about what they were doing. Their tongues were soon entwined around each other and neither stopped to take a breath. As soon as they were winded, they stopped for only a moment, and Hermione pulled her lover onto the floor. Before Draco knew what he was doing, he was tugging at the front of Hermione's blouse. Hermione eagerly let him pull it off her. She then started working on getting his shirt off his chest. Both looked up briefly and noticed that they each had extraordinarily nice bodies. Draco had a six pack that Hermione thought was beyond heavenly, and pecks that were indescribably gorgeous; and as Draco stared at Hermione's soft, touchable breasts, he realized that this was the first time he was seeing any sort of breasts, even if they were covered in a not so modest bra.  
  
After this moment of realization, they brought each other even closer together. They wrapped each other in wet kisses, and slowly their hands became confident enough to actually touch the newly exposed skin. Hermione's body heaved as Draco's strong hand gripped at her breast. She had never felt something so blissful in her life; neither had Draco. His brain began to swim as he felt the tenderness of the skin beneath his fingers – it was firm, but it moved with his touch. He longed to feel all of it, just the skin, no cloth between him and ecstasy. Before Draco knew what he was doing, he reached around Hermione's back and tried to unclasp her bra. Hermione stopped kissing his beautiful abs, and looked deeply into Draco's eyes.  
  
"What are you doing?" Hermione asked as she found her voice. These were the first words either of them had uttered since they were in the library.  
  
"I'm sorry… I thought, since…" Draco trailed off. He had not realized that perhaps Hermione was not ready for him to see her as naked as he was.  
  
"No, no." Hermione said soothingly. "It's alright. I don't mind. But I'm getting a little overheated. Why don't we get into the bathtub?" Hermione voiced provocatively. She was not aware that she had it in her to let Draco see her body bare.  
  
Draco looked at her open mouthed. Was this the Hermione he knew and loved, or was it a new Hermione filled with the same raging hormones that coursed through his veins. "But… I don't have my… trunks with me." Draco stuttered.  
  
"Neither do I." Hermione said with a glint of fire in her eye. Draco was beginning to like the new Hermione that he had created even better than the one he had before. Hermione got up off the floor, with her bra dangling delicately from her shoulders. Draco had been successful in un-clasping it. She bent over to reach the taps of the swimming pool sized bathtub and started to experiment with some of the bubbles. The bathtub was soon filled with bubbles of many different colors and shapes.  
  
Hermione had no real experience with being sexy, but with Draco in the room, watching her every move, she felt inspired. She slowly slipped off her skirt to reveal her long legs, that only her family, and dorm-mates had seen before. Then, Hermione turned around and emphatically removed the straps of her bra from her arms. Then to Draco's astonishment, Hermione dropped her bra to the floor, leaving only her butt concealed to Draco's eyes. Hermione quickly dropped her last bit of undergarment and glided into the glistening water before Draco could get a proper glimpse of her a$$. Draco hastily pulled off his trousers and joined Hermione in the pool of bubbles. Oh my g-d! Talk about a big shot. Hermione thought with excitement, as she eyed Draco's manhood.  
  
"That's better, isn't it?" Hermione said lazily, but with a hint of anxiety in her voice. It had not been in her plan to get down to nothing but skin and water. But Draco was on top of her before she could think about the sinfulness of her actions. But Hermione kept some of her wits about her, and pushed Draco away before he could do something that she knew he would regret.  
  
"Darling, now, we're both, naked," Hermione paused at the word, being slightly uncomfortable saying it, "so we need to be aware of what we're doing." After Hermione had said this she felt more comfortable.  
  
"So, what do you mean?" Draco said hesitantly.  
  
"I mean, it would be good if I could retain my virginity at least until marriage." Hermione said exasperatedly.  
  
"Oh! Of course! Do you think I want the blame of knocking up Hogwarts' best student?? NO! But I completely understand that you wanted to warn me." Draco grinned and kissed Hermione's shoulder. After getting this out of her system, Hermione was much more willing to give in to Draco's caress.  
  
Hermione then let Draco drape himself over her body, letting himself savor the touch of Hermione's soft skin against his own. His hands slowly moved up her torso, yearning for another touch of her breasts. Finally they found their way and simultaneously Hermione's hands reached Draco's manhood. As both grips on each other's bodies tightened, both bodies heaved at the new sensation. More of the rapture followed, and continued late into the night. 


	7. everyone knows

Everyone Knows  
  
"Where were *you* last night??" Harry questioned curiously. He had caught up with Hermione in the corridor on the way to lunch, not being able to get near her at any other time. "I stayed up waiting for you in the common room until at least midnight!"  
  
"Oh, after I, uh, talked to Fire, I uh, went back to the library to study. Madame Pince said it was okay because she knows me so well by now." Hermione quickly lied. The truth was she had stayed in the prefect's bathroom until midnight, and then she and Draco returned to the Slytherin common room for some more fun. Draco had some impressive toys stowed in his trunk. But Hermione let none of this slip. "Sorry, I must have fallen asleep in the library." Hermione changed the subject quickly.  
  
"So does Ron suspect anything?" Hermione asked quickly.  
  
"Well, no, I don't think so. But you talked to Fire, so now you can confront Ron…" Harry trailed off when Ron broke in.  
  
"Good morning darling! Hi Harry! Confront me about what?" Ron asked lazily while gazing affectionately at Hermione.  
  
"Oh, nothing." Hermione glared at Harry. "Just about whether you've started studying for midterms yet." Hermione smiled at Ron as though nothing were wrong.  
  
"Well," Ron said sheepishly. He stared at his feet and said quietly, "I haven't really had time, what with Quiddtich practice and all." Ron had become a beater for the Gryffindor team after Fred and George had left school. Hermione was quite pleased with herself for making Ron not suspect a thing, being her normal bossy, academic obsessed self.  
  
"You'll have to get started on that tonight." Hermione began to turn away and think about the fun she had had last night with Draco but Harry grabbed her arm and brought her back to Ron.  
  
"Hermione, you need to tell Ron what's been going on. He needs to know." Harry said firmly. Hermione tried to get away, but Ron broke in before she could escape.  
  
"What's Harry talking about Hermy? What's going on? What do I need to know?" Ron was quite curious at this point.  
  
"Oh, nothing… Just, um, no. Its nothing." Hermione stuttered. Harry wanted Ron to know what was going on to badly to let Hermione keep quiet.  
  
"Hermione, if you won't tell him then I will." Harry said menacingly.  
  
"No…Harry… wait…don't tell him…" Hermione faltered.  
  
"Too late. Ron," Harry said turning to his best friend, "Hermione has been secretly seeing Draco Malfoy for 3 days now. Every night she has been meeting him in the library to do, er, things Hermione thought that you would never do." Hermione was cringing on every word and Ron was looking more and more horrified at each syllable. "I've tried to get her to talk to him, and I think that she's tried, but obviously Malfoy was to much of a temptation –ew…" he shivered at the thought, but even as he said this, Harry could understand why Malfoy would be a temptation. But he shrugged this feeling off and continued, "I'm sorry for having to tell you this myself Ron, but this has been getting out of hand, and the only way to stop it is for it to be out in the open." Harry was out of breath from saying all of this; it had taken a lot out of him – both physically and emotionally.  
  
"Hermione, I... I don't know what to say…" Ron trailed off. Hermione tried to say something in her own defense, but she could not seem to find her voice. Just then Draco came around the corner.  
  
"Oh, hello Hermione." Draco said pleasantly. At this point Ron found his voice and screamed at Draco.  
  
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? MAKING OUT WITH MY GIRLFRIEND BEHIND MY BACK????" Ron said as his face turned as red as the hair on his head.  
  
"What are you talking about Weasley?" Draco said innocently.  
  
"Harry just told me everything that's been going on between you and Hermione." Ron said slowly and deliberately.  
  
"What??" Draco stuttered while turning to Hermione. "You told, HIM???? And then he told WEASLEY????" Draco could hardly believe that Hermione would divulge what intimate experiences they had shared to Harry and then let Harry inform Ron of all of this. Throughout all of this, both Ron and Draco were glaring at Hermione while Harry was watching from the sidelines, not wanting to miss a moment of this catfight.  
  
"Yes, Harry knows and he told me. But its not really you I'm mad at, more like Hermione." At this, he glared at her even harder. He proceeded, "How could you do this to me? I thought we were going to stay together forever! And that nothing could break us apart!"  
  
At this point, Hermione could finally get a word into the outbreak. "Ron, I want to be with you forever and ever, but Draco here can offer me something that you just don't have. Passion. He's in it just for the heat of the moment, not because he loves me like you do."  
  
Draco broke in, "Well…." But Hermione cut him off.  
  
"And the same goes for me. What I have with him is purely sexual. That's all it is. A game, I'm using him, you see? I'm using him for his body, not his mind or personality, and not even his whole body. Just, the, lips part." Hermione told Harry, Draco, Ron and the crowd of onlookers that had gathered.  
  
"What's wrong with my body?" Ron asked sounding like a wounded animal.  
  
" Oh, nothing… Its just that, its, well, not as, appealing as it could be." Hermione chose her words carefully as to not hurt Ron. But it didn't exactly work.  
  
"APPEALING?? My body is perfectly appeal.." but Draco cut him off before he could defend himself further.  
  
"Hello?? This argument is about Hermione and ME having an affair here! And thank you VERY much, I DO have feelings for you that are more than sexual." Draco wouldn't stand for the conversation being taken off him for more that thirty seconds. "I'm the one that is supposed to be breaking up the relationship!"  
  
"He's right you know." Harry broke in tentatively. They had been getting rather off topic.  
  
"Wait, what did you say?" Hermione asked curiously.  
  
"I said, that I DO have feelings for you that are more than just sexual. Was what YOU said true?" Draco asked pleadingly.  
  
"Well…" Hermione said meekly. "Yes. I don't love you. Its just about the passion and sex. Not that we're HAVING sex Ron." She would not have anyone think that she had lost all of her innocent appeal.  
  
"Wait a minute, wait a minute." Ron broke in. "So you're saying, that even though you've been having an affair with Draco Malfoy, you still have feelings for me?"  
  
"Well, yes if you must know. You're my sweetheart, and like I said, I was with Draco just for the heat of the moment. That's it." Hermione said with a smile.  
  
"Oh." Ron was very confused.  
  
"So let me get this strait," Harry broke in. "Obviously Draco and Hermione are having an affair. But Hermione still loves Ron. Am I right so far?" Ron and Hermione nodded, Draco just gave a sigh. Harry continued, "But, while we thought that *both* Draco and Hermione were just in it for the heat, that's only true for Hermione." Hermione signaled that this was correct. "*But* Draco does feel something more than that for Hermione. And through all this, Ron is just on the side, as am I." All three students agreed. "So," Harry said with a sigh, "what are you going to do about this?" 


End file.
